Head-mounted image display units, such as VR and AR headsets, are well known for use with many audio-visual applications, such as movies and video games, which include sound. In order for a complete audio-visual experience to be presented to the user, particularly with VR and AR audio-visual applications, the visual effects and the audio effects would have to be presented to the user in a synchronized manner, isolated from all other external visual and audio effects, which means that the user would have to wear a device that covers both his/her eyes and ears. However, such a device is cumbersome and very uncomfortable for the user to wear, even for short period of time.
Headsets with retractable earphones are known in the art. In most cases, the retraction mechanisms are situated in the templepiece of the headset, most often wound about a reel.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,215,460 to Mizoguchi discloses a head-mounted image display apparatus that includes optical visual units that are mounted on a laterally disposed shaft and are adjustable so as to be movable toward and away from each other for establishing a correct eye spacing for a user. The apparatus also includes a retractable earphone cup receptacle mechanism having a cord wrapped around a reel that is rotatably supported in a casing with a power spring therein for biasing the reel in the winding direction. However, the retractable earphone cup receptacle mechanisms described therein are separately mounted and are not an integral part of the VR headset.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,084,555 to Mizoguchi also discloses a spectacle type display device which enables a wearer to observe an electronically produced image, such as that produced in response to a video or television signal and which includes an improved adjustment arrangement whereby both pupil distance and diopter adjustment can be easily implemented. The device also includes a pair of headphone receiving mechanisms at the rear end sides of the pair of first bow portions from which a pair of earphones may be unreeled and inserted into the wearer's ears.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 5,451,976 to Ito similarly discloses an image display apparatus for reducing the occurrence of discomforts such as headaches, eyestrain, fatigue and the like in users, wherein head phone reels are installed on left and right side surfaces of the head mount so that headphone cords can appropriately be wound.
In US Patent Appl. Publ. No. 2010/0045928 to Levy, which discloses eyewear with communications capability to pair with a Bluetooth enabled device and equipped with noise cancellation software, the earphones are connected by a flexible cord to a spring-biased retraction wheel that is housed within the earpiece/templepiece.
In cases where the retractable earphones wires are spooled around a reel, however, the locations in the device at which the retractable earphones can be housed is limited, because there must be sufficient space within the device for the wire spooled around the wheel. In virtually all cases, the circular shape of the retractable earphone mechanism requires that it be housed within the templepiece of the headset, and this in turn requires that the headset have a templepiece that is large enough to house such a retractable earphone mechanism.
However, it is desirable to be able to provide a head-mounted image display apparatus (headset) that either has no templepiece or can be worn by a user without use of a templepiece that is large enough to house such a retractable earphone mechanism.
In addition, it is desirable to provide retractable earphones which can be housed within the device in a non-circular shape.